


Outsider Perspective

by Ichirinsa



Series: A Professor's New Dawn, and assorted Support Conversations [9]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:48:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24654820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ichirinsa/pseuds/Ichirinsa
Summary: Byleth has no idea how to teach Yusuke. He's a strange kid, and he's using a style of weapon she isn't entirely familiar with. Turns out, that might work out for the best.
Series: A Professor's New Dawn, and assorted Support Conversations [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765159
Kudos: 26





	1. Support Level C - Unfamiliar Methods

There is absolutely no chance this isn’t going to be bizarre, awkward, or both. From the moment Byleth met Yusuke, she could tell he marched to the beat of his own drum, but there’s no telling what that means for training him in the art of swordplay.

“I’m going to be honest with you, Kitagawa-san.” Byleth is standing up as straight as possible, with the pommel of a wooden practice katana underneath her palms, its tip pointing directly into the ground. “I have no knowledge whatsoever about proper Eastern sword techniques. Just because I can read about them does not make me qualified to teach them to you. I could read about them for years, but unless I pick up a katana myself, it won’t be of any use.”

Byleth worried it may be difficult to sneak Yusuke into the Shujin Academy gymnasium, but it turns out that a person of student age wearing a school gym uniform and being escorted confidently by school staff is enough for nobody to stop and ask questions. After all, she’s been down that road before.

Yusuke himself is twirling his practice sword, eyes tracing its path through the air. A few seconds drip by, and Byleth worries that he wasn’t listening at all. Then, he draws out a contemplative murmur, always a more velvety voice than Byleth ever expects. “Hmmmmmmm. I appreciate your candor, sensei. But what of your own ability with a blade?” He brings the katana to his belt, as though sheathed. “I imagine you must know some Western technique, do you not?”

“A fair bit, yes. My weapon of choice in my experience is a segmented blade, so I picked up some skill. Cursory research suggests that the analogous Eastern technique would be Kendo, but I can tell that’s certainly not the method you practice. From what I can glean, you use Iaijutsu, correct?”

Yusuke nods with affirmation and deep joy in his tone. “Indeed. I’m amazed you could figure that out just by observing. You have a good eye, Sensei.”

Byleth twirls her own sword, rolling her wrist to draw hypnotic patterns beside her. “You seem to use the technique far more offensively, however. From what I read, Iaijutsu is normally used for counter-attacking.”

“You’ve done plenty of research, it seems.” Yusuke demonstrates his typical stance, one hand on the hilt, one above the (nonexistent, in this case) scabbard. “In battle, I find a plethora of opportunities to strike unsuspecting enemies amidst the beautiful chaos my teammates wreak. Were it not for them, I imagine my focus would be far more defensive, as you suggested.”

“Which means you must have a discerning eye as well, Kitagawa-san. Do you owe that to art?” Rather than remain standing, Byleth “sheathes” her katana and takes a crouching position at the center of the gym mat, just in front of Yusuke.

He joins her, his gaze never settling on any one spot of the room. “I suppose so. When inspiration strikes, I use that opportunity to sketch as much as possible in preparation for future attempts in returning to any particular piece. When I consider that, it may well be the case.”

“Wonderful. The fact that you can apply that skill to your swordplay makes you a boon to the team, I imagine.” Byleth sighs as her sentence peters off into nothingness. “In any case, it seems we’re at an impasse. With my lacking knowledge of Eastern technique, I have very little to teach you.”

Then, in an instant, she draws her blade and slashes upward, aiming for Yusuke’s torso. He barely reacts in time to unsheath his own and deflect her, narrowly escaping the strike. They both stand and hop backwards in one motion. Both of them wear a satisfied smirk.

“Ha, I admire your shrewdness!” Yusuke resumes his stance as the two circle one another on the gym mat. “You may not be able to teach me the ins and outs of the katana, but you can certainly test my reaction time!”

“There’s some carryover I can guide you on, at least. For example...” She lunges forward. Yusuke unsheathes his blade, but she catches his wrist and gives it a light twist. His fingers loosen, and the training sword slips from his grasp. She catches it on top of her foot, then gives Yusuke a coy grin as she pushes him away with a swift palm strike to the solar plexus. “Your grip needs work.” She kicks the sword back up, catching it in her free hand. She offers him the handle, no strings attached.

“Incredible. Regardless of schooling, you are out of my league with a blade.” He grabs the hilt, slowly, and bows.

Byleth sheaths her own blade, then approaches Yusuke’s side to better instruct him. “Don’t discount your own skill. But strive to improve. As you strike, most of your grip should be focused on your middle, ring, and pinky fingers. You don’t need a death grip -- it will cost you control. You want the blade to feel like it’s floating.” Then, the perfect words come to her. “As if you were holding a paintbrush.”

The realization shocks his eyes wide open. “Ah! Wonderful. Even more aspects to carry from my artistry. As if the battlefield were a canvas of its own!”

Byleth gingerly smiles, scratching her cheek with one finger. “Hey, if that helps.” She backs up again, sword at the ready. “Now, show me what you’ve learned.”

**…**

Byleth is collecting the gear from their session, proud of a job well done. As for Yusuke, he’s beaming with inspiration, ready to work more. 

“If only I had considered the possibility of putting my artist’s technique into my swordplay. You’ve opened my eyes to so many new ideas, Sensei!”

“The inverse is also possible. Let your experience in battle fuel your creativity with a brush.” She doesn’t look up from her place zipping up their bag of practice blades and plastic armor. “You’ll find a loop of feedback between the two, constantly improving one another. Just like a student and their master.”

Yusuke smiles, bittersweet. “I suppose, in a way, this makes you a new art mentor for me. Strange as that may be.”

“If it helps your art, that would bring me joy.” She hoists the gym bag over her shoulder and across her torso (adjusting the strap to keep her chest comfortable), then addresses the elephant in the room. “I know what it’s like to have someone who you admire, who teaches you things you didn’t even know about yourself… I know what it’s like when they use you.”

“You’ve dealt with this as well, Sensei?” He seems surprised.

“Twice. For the latter, I had to change her heart.” She inhales deeply, then releases the breath in a huff. “That was one of my last forays into the Metaverse.”

“So your hand was forced much the same as mine.”

“I can empathize with the struggle, Kitagawa-san. It’s a tempest of emotion. I’m here if you need to talk about it. And I’m here to help ensure it doesn’t happen again.” She offers a hand to shake Yusuke’s. “Besides, I can’t plagiarize your skill with a katana. I can hardly even take credit for it. Your skill is entirely your own.”

He has no response, initially. He merely stands, dazed, trying to process it. Then, in one swoop, he takes her hand in both of his and shakes it enthusiastically. Despite the ecstatic movements, his voice is level. “You have my sincere thanks, Sensei. I will call for your assistance again.”

She joins him on a walk outside of the school, and the two find a restaurant bathroom for him to change back into his own clothes. In the process, Byleth treats him to a meal. Seemed like he was in the mood for something salty.

They part ways, somehow sharing a bond that both couldn’t have expected.

To Byleth’s surprise, no part of that lesson was truly awkward. However, most of it was its own distinct shade of bizarre. That’s not a bad thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect to have as much fun with these two, but now I can't wait to do more!
> 
> Next main story chapter'll be edited and posted soon. Be prepared, because there's gonna be a lot of support conversations coming out after that one. I'm starting to find my groove in writing them -- some of them require for the ending to be written first, some can be written in order, some are easier to write in one sitting rather than spread out, some are less action and more dialogue, some are a nice mix of both, some require the dialogue to be written first and then the other parts added later, etc. etc. etc. yadda yadda.
> 
> I'm glad to see that some of you like these silly stories, though. I can't say my writing will always be 100% for each part, but I'm not trying to hold myself to some crazy standard. I'm doing this for fun, so I'll write as fun as I can! That means not having to cut off my own fingers trying to make it all perfect.


	2. Support Level B - Gedan-no-kamae

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yusuke's taken note of Byleth's own use of sword techniques. She's happy to teach, to learn, and to help elsewhere in life.

Seeing Yusuke in Shujin gym garb is always a strange sight. One would assume a level of discomfort in practicing swordplay in such an outfit, but Yusuke wears it like a champion. It is, after all, similarly baggy in comparison to his Phantom Thief regalia, even with protective padding over top.

He rolls his neck, stretches his arms and shoulders, and prepares for the lesson. “So, Sensei… I noticed in our most recent excursion into the Metaverse that you were employing some Eastern techniques into your swordplay, were you not?”

She’s still stretching her legs as well -- the two are still recovering from Mementos, so they aren’t risking any more soreness today. “A good eye as always, Yusuke-san. Yes, I read about the sword position after I saw you use it once. I saw that it is also compared to some Western techniques, so I couldn’t help but want to give it a go.”

“Is that so? It was a most impressive display -- Gedan-no-kamae, correct? May I inquire into your decision to do so?” Yusuke finishes his own stretching and twirls his wooden practice katana with rolls of his wrist. His vision is torn between admiring its arcs in the air, and to Byleth rising from the gym mat underneath.

“Protecting all of you, actually. In German, the stance is referred to as the ‘Fool’s Guard,’ though the tip of the blade is kept higher in that variation. The Shadows saw me and thought I was a defenseless target. As such, they were easily baited into my counterattacks.”

Yusuke nods. His lips curl into an impressed smile. “Beautiful. To see the combination of Eastern and Western swordplay… the duality was mesmerizing. Your bladework is stunning as always, Sensei. Would you like to learn another Eastern stance?” 

Byleth prepares her own practice blade with a flourish. “Of course. A teacher should always grow alongside their student.”

“Waki-gamae. This is the stance you see me take most often, Sensei.” He adopts the posture. His legs bend to a crouch, he turns to conceal the sheath of his blade behind his body, then he leaves one hand near the sheath’s top while his other palm hovers over the handle.

Byleth doesn’t adjust yet. She runs an observant eye over each portion of his body to scan the details. “Explain the gist to me, Yusuke-san.”

“It acts as a bluff, ultimately. In this stance, the enemy cannot easily ascertain your intentions, nor the length of your blade.”

“And thus, they’re set on edge, nervous about their approach. Fantastic. A similar stance exists in German -- ‘Nebenhut.’ I’m impressed that you put more research into this. Demonstrate for me, then.” She takes on a different stance, stares Yusuke down, then approaches.

When she swings to his right -- an attack to demonstrate the shortcoming of the distance of the blade from the strike -- she’s taken by surprise when he doesn’t unsheath his blade at all. Instead, he backsteps, then waits as her sword has followed through, almost to the ground. When he sees the opening, then he swings. However, practiced as she is, Byleth simply angles her elbows up to catch his attack. When the blow is deflected, she releases one hand from her hilt, then shoves Yusuke backward with one swift palm strike to the sternum.

“Good, Yusuke-san! Use your opponent’s momentum to find opportunities.”

His eyes glow with the same intensity in their Metaverse battles, but with a joyous fervor rather than the typical fury. Byleth adopts the Fool’s Guard once more as Yusuke steps forward with a downward slash. She sidesteps, then jams his blade further down to set him off balance. With one sweep of her foot, he’s sent sideways. Before he can collide back-first with the floor, she catches him with one hand between his shoulder blades. 

“Thank you for this dance, Yusuke-san.” She helps him back up, and the two bow to one another in a show of respect.

Then, Yusuke covers his face with one palm as he laughs. “Splendid, Sensei. Now, what wisdom would you impart to me?”

“Well, in that short time, I can see that you’ve improved the grip of your blade substantially. However, your foot stance is the next focus. Twice I was able to control your movement, all because your stance was unbalanced, uneven. Even as you strike, you must maintain balance. Observe.” She readies her stance, then points to each foot with the tip of her blade. “See how one foot angles away as I idle, then adjusts with an attack…”

Yusuke sits on the ground to observe, only rising when Byleth asks him to demonstrate what she’s imparted. For an hour, they duel, and Yusuke makes visible modifications to his prior stance. As always, she’s proud.

But, as is ever the case, their time is over sooner than hoped. Byleth collects their gear -- the blades, the body padding -- and prepares to store it for later.

“Sensei, I have something of a selfish request for you, if you would humor me.”

She turns one ear toward him. “I’m listening.”

“Your combination of West and East is hypnotizing in battle, but I often think back on the advice you gave me during our first lesson: To wield my blade like a brush. I’m merely curious if you would allow me the opportunity to create artwork with you, inspired by the duality you bring to the battlefield.” He bows deeply with his request, arms stiff at his sides.

“Of course, Yusuke-san. I admit, I’ve hoped to see how these lessons have affected your skill with a brush, and if that advice does, indeed, go both ways.” She packs their gear away in a gym bag, then slings it over her shoulder while standing to full height. “It’s been some time since I’ve seen a student’s artistic process in play. I’d love the opportunity.”

“Marvelous.” He ceases his bow, putting him back almost a head taller than Byleth. “I shall contact you in order to arrange a window in our schedules. I already look forward to it.”

Byleth locks their gear in the gym’s storage area, then escorts Yusuke through the school halls before someone can realize he’s not supposed to be there. He changes clothes in a bathroom near the front door, and the two part ways just outside the school gate.

_I wonder how Ignatz is doing, anyway?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story Chapter 7's up next! Could be up as soon as tomorrow, depending on how I feel while editing it. In terms of how many more story chapters are after the next one, I think I can estimate that I'm just about halfway done with the main story of Persona 5. I've also written out just under two-thirds of the Supports. Progress!


	3. Support Level A - Shodō

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for the teacher to be taught. Or, at least, to see her own teachings applied elsewhere.

Getting Byleth into Kosei High is a mite more difficult than finding openings to sneak Yusuke into Shujin Academy. Yusuke is a student, and looks very much the part, but they require a moment to brainstorm for Byleth’s own intrusion. While smuggling Yusuke’s art supplies out of the school is an option, finding a creative space to paint could prove difficult. Instead, Byleth has posited a different idea. One that, so far, is working swimmingly.

It took some snooping around on Yusuke’s part, but he managed to get everything required. Now, they walk side by side through the half-empty halls of Kosei High School, appearing as nothing more than two students. Byeth wears the Kosei uniform, though Yusuke couldn’t find a jacket that would properly fit. Even so, Byleth finds the uniform adorable particularly the black and white striped bowtie. Between the getup and Byleth’s posture -- a feigned nervousness clutching to painting supplies. Nobody has dared second guess that she might be anything other than a student around the age of seventeen or so.

Until now. As they pass a teacher, Byleth can see his eyebrow tweek inquisitively after the proximity.

“Young lady, wait right there.”

She freezes. She’s no stranger to covert operations, but the nerves still get to her, despite the lack of dire circumstance.

“You ought to order a more fitting jacket. That one is practically strangling you.”

Yusuke saves her skin. “I’ll be able to help her with that after our calligraphy lesson, Asigiri-sensei.”

At that, the teacher’s posture eases. His lip curls, impressed. “Ah, teaching the first-years, Kitagawa-kun? That explains why she looks so nervous and doesn’t have a proper fitting uniform. Very well. Have a good lesson, you two.”

And they’re off. After they’ve made a safe distance into an empty painting room, they snicker to themselves at the surprisingly adequate results of their wager. Byleth takes off the jacket -- it is far too tight, to be sure -- as Yusuke prepares their space and supplies.

“I can’t believe that actually worked.” Byleth’s tone is hushed, but energized as she hangs the jacket over the edge of a chair in the corner. “I guess people aren’t lying when they tell me I’m a decent actor.”

“You performed admirably, Sensei.”

“Please, you’re the one teaching me today. You can just call me Byleth. The rest of our friends are starting to do so, anyway.”

At that, Yusuke grins sweetly with closed eyes. “Very well. Byleth, you are familiar with the Japanese art of calligraphy, are you not?”

“Somewhat. I know of it. Swordsmen in antiquity and modernity both train in the art, right? As Yusuke motions, Byleth takes her seat in front of a short table, shin-height, and takes inventory of the materials laid out in front of her.

“Very much so. As I ruminated on your advice, shodō came to mind as the easiest bridge from swordplay to the motions of a brush. The motions of the arm, the wrist, all condensed into minutiae for a stunning display of the beauty of Japanese orthography. The similarities are present throughout the entirety of the art, albeit smaller.” He demonstrates while explaining, first with the heavy, straight lines of one kanji, then to some of the softer curves of the next. When finished, the two form the word for the artform itself: Shodō. “I think you’ll be a natural, Byleth.”

“With your guidance, perhaps. I’ve never been the most artistic.”

“You say this, yet your swordplay encompasses the four principles of shodō: Keep one point of contact, relax completely, focus your weight, and extend your own personal energy. The common advice given is to consider your sword an extension of oneself. A brush is no different.”

Byleth lifts her own brush, gauges the weight, the length. She performs a few practiced motions with her wrist and arm, tracing imaginary lines and curves atop the mulberry paper underneath.

“If anything, there are facets to this that are far simpler. For example, your paper won’t be making efforts to drive a blade through your flesh.” Yusuke’s words draw a chuckle from Byleth during these motions. “Simply visualize your endpoint, the motions to the pathway there, then follow through. Firm motions for straight lines, then wane towards grace for delicate curves.”

She follows his advice to the tee. Before even dipping her brush, she envisions the kanji, the strokes of each line, and how to carry the weight of the brush with her arm. In her mind’s eye, she imagines the movement each muscle will make in tandem. Then, she inks her brush, supports her right wrist with her left hand, and begins.

Despite the similarities, the first motions are labored and slow. Only now does she see the similarities. And as such, she follows the advice she’s given to Yusuke. She eases her grip on the brush, adjusts her balance in a seated position, pays attention to her breathing. Before long, she’s painted five kanji: 喜多川 祐介, or Yusuke Kitagawa.

“If I were Japanese, I would’ve started with my own name. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. I’m flattered, really. You’ve done well by my name. Actually, I have a simple request. Could you humor me by signing your own name? I would like to hang this in my dorm room as a symbol of our time spent together, and the lessons you’ve imparted upon me.”

“Aw, Yusuke.” She smiles, nods, and prepares her brush once more. Before she can continue, however, he interrupts her.

“In Latin script. I want to see the duality on this page as a representation of yourself. Would that be alright, Byleth?”

And she complies. In the lower right corner: Byleth Eisner. Seeing the kanji and Latin script side by side is a stark difference, but she can understand why Yusuke prefers it that way.

“Your advice transfers well to paper, wouldn’t you agree? I myself have seen the strides in my artwork as a result of your words to me.”

“Nothing makes me happier than to hear that, Yusuke.” She gives him a sidelong hug, one arm over his shoulder. He’s taken aback, but reciprocates the motion. When she draws back, however, she does have a question. “Wait, did you feel the same way about that ‘duality’ when you saw me in yukata during that fireworks show?”

“E-erm, I…”

She interrupts him with a light slug to the arm. “I’m only joking, Yusuke. Now, I want you to show  _ me _ what my advice has done for your artwork.”

“Actually Byleth, would you mind acting as the model for this piece? You needn’t strip nude, of course. I think those days are beyond me.”

“I’ve got the evening free, Yusuke. Take your time.”


End file.
